


Evacuation

by AnselaJonla



Series: HFY [2]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-13
Updated: 2020-01-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:48:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22235110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnselaJonla/pseuds/AnselaJonla
Summary: A story written for the Humanity Fuck Yeah subreddit (r/HFY).The Brezin have given the population just four days to evacuate Acceltin Beta, using only the civilian craft already on the surface or in orbit. It won't be enough.
Series: HFY [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1600498
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7





	Evacuation

**Acceltin Tertiary - Orbit**

“Commander, we have word from Acceltin Beta,” the young comms ensign announced excitedly. At a wave of the commander’s clawed hand he continued. “The Brezin say that they will allow evacuation of civilians. A single lift, using only craft currently on or around Acceltin Beta. Bombardment will begin within 104 hours, or once the last shuttle has cleared the blockade.”

The commander wasn’t surprised. Few races would deny the right to civilian evacuation, but the Brezin only grudgingly complied with interstellar law on this matter, and only granted their foes the minimum required to comply. Four local days, and no returning for more passengers.

In this case, it would only save the lives of a fraction of Acceltin Beta’s population. At the last count there were three short of two thousand ships capable of making orbit on or around the colony. Seventeen of these were passenger shuttles with two hundred passenger seats and fifteen crew. The remaining ships were cargo lifters, with space for six crew and up to ten passengers. At most. Out of the five million occupants of the disputed Acceltin Beta colony, not even forty thousand would make it off the planet before the Brezin orbital bombardment began. Even if they only sent the younglings...

It wouldn’t be enough. Not nearly enough.

**Acceltin Beta - Surface**

“QUIET!” The roar cut through the chaotic, panicked racket that had erupted in the colony administration office after the Brezin’s transmission. The admin staff, mostly comprised of the Hrid that had founded the Acceltin Beta and Tertiary colonies, all turned to look at the source of the noise.

Senior Administrator Martin, one of the roughly three thousand humans residing on Acceltin Beta, was standing on his chair. He was the one that had bellowed, and he was clearly waiting for everyone to comply with his order.

“Will you get down from there before you fall off?” one of the other humans muttered into the silence. Martin glared at her, and hopped onto his desk instead.

“Instead of panicking, let’s make sure we get as many people off planet as possible,” Martin stated calmly. As if it was even possible. Not even a full percent of their population could escape. There would be riots at all the space ports if the people learned of this. The best they could do would be to save the senior administrators. The ones that could be useful in starting a new colony, one that wasn’t in a system also claimed by the warmongering Brezin.

“Frint, get your people landing the rest of the ships. Every single damned one. Doesn’t matter how many seats they have, we need them all.” The Hrid that Martin had addressed stood there, clawed hands twitching in agitation. “NOW! We only have four days to get this sorted. So _move_.”

Frint started in shock, and then scurried off, presumably to the comms room. Martin sighed. “At least Jen is down there, she’ll keep her head. Who’s in charge of children’s services? We need all the schools, dormitories, etc evacuating to the nearest space ports. Hopefully we can get more than just those, but children need to be the priority.”

“What are you planning?” First Claw Ghur asked, eventually finding his voice. Now that war was declared officially, he was technically in charge of the colony. If this human’s plan was stupid, he’d step in. If it wasn’t, if it saved more lives, then he’d let this human have charge for now.

“We’re getting people off this planet before those scaly cement heads start their bombardment. As many as possible.”

“There’s less than forty thousand seats _combined_ ,” one of the Hrid shouted, from near the back of the room. Others muttered in agreement, from all the races represented.

“Then we _increase_ that number,” Martin shouted in response. “Here’s the plan.”

**Acceltin System - between Tertiary and Beta colonies**

“Commander, the first wave of evacuation craft are approaching.”

“Have the _Frustig_ bring them in. Order the _Frantig_ and the human vessels to hold relative stations.” None of the evacuation craft were designed to go into FTL alone. They were for interplanetary transfers within the same system, or transferring passengers and cargo to the FTL capable ships that were never designed to enter atmosphere. While they could make it to Acceltin Tertiary, there was no point. The Brezin would move on that planet too, so its evacuation was already being enacted.

Commander Nurtif had, therefore, split his fleet. Most remained in orbit around the Tertiary colony, protecting the transports from Brezin commerce raiders. He was escorting two of the ships to meet the evacuees from Beta colony though. That would be more than enough for the occupants of the ships available to that colony.

When he’d announced this, the commander of a small human flotilla, a pack of barely armed civilian passenger liners that had come to assist with the evacuation, had laughed and said that his ships would accompany them. ‘Just in case,’ she’d said.

A few minutes later the comms ensign frowned, the tuft on his ear tip flicking in confusion. “Please repeat, _Frustig_ , I think there was some interference.”

“Problem, ensign?”

“Sir, the _Frustig_ is reporting that there were over four hundred people on that first passenger craft alone, mostly younglings. Apparently its captain has said that the remaining passenger craft are all similarly laden, and they’ve somehow managed to get _thousands_ onto each cargo lifter.”

Nurft sighed. The two troop transports he’d brought had a combined capacity of half a million. All of the evacuees should have fit into a single one, with plenty of room to spare. Bringing the second transport was just insurance.

How _had_ that human captain known?

“Order the _Frustig_ to bring as many evacuees aboard as possible, then have the _Frantig_ move in to take over. Use the human vessels after that.”

* * *

Not everyone had made it off Acceltin Beta during the evacuation. There’s always some who refuse to leave, denying the deadly seriousness of the situation. Some of those in medical and elderly care facilities had to be abandoned, unable to be moved safely or easily. Rumours abounded for years afterwards that their caregivers had, before they left, ensured that they would not suffer, but nothing could be proved.

But most of the five million strong population escaped Brevin bombardment and occupation. Five million flew off the disputed planet of Acceltin Beta in craft designed to carry less than thirty six _thousand_.

All because one human refused to accept anything else. He mobilised a planet to load every ship beyond what they thought possible. The cargo lifters were filled with cargo containers which had internal partitions fitted, and every flat surface covered in padding. People were laid on this padding, as many as possible, and held down with straps like cargo. Most of the younglings were crammed into the passenger craft, with rows of seats designed for three holding as many as eight, with more held to the floor with straps, and the luggage holds lined with more padding and straps.

It was not a comfortable flight to safety, for anyone on board, but few complained. They were, after all, achieving the impossible.

Five million lives saved. Five million slaves denied to the Brevin.

One man, hailed as a hero.


End file.
